Ivo Mosley

Ivo Adam Rex Mosley is a British writer. His varied career has encompassed ceramics, poetry, social commentary, opera and music theatre. His focus currently (2017) is on works of non-fiction relating to politics and monetary reform. He lives in London with his wife. They have four sons.

Early life, family and education

Born in London in 1951, the son of writer Nicholas Mosley, and grandson of politician Oswald Mosley, Ivo went to Bryanston School before studying Japanese at New College, Oxford.^[1] In 2007 he also completed an MA in musical theatre at Goldsmiths College, London.

In 1977 he married the artist Xanthe Oppenheimer.

Ceramics

Whilst studying, Ivo became fascinated by Japanese pottery. On finishing his degree, he purchased a kiln and started making pots.^[2] He initially had a studio in London and became known especially for his bold use of colour and development of new glazing techniques.^[3][4] He published articles on his techniques of firing and glazing.^[5]

Ivo’s work was exhibited at The National Theatre, Liberty of London and elsewhere. Pieces were sold through Designers Guild.

Poetry

Ivo’s other great interest in Japanese culture centres on poetry. On graduating he began translating Hitomaro’s work for The Dublin Magazine.

In 1993 he published The Green Book of Poetry, an anthology of over 300 poems from around the world, in 30 different languages, in defence of nature. The anthology was widely praised on publication and continues to be a bestseller for Frontier Publishing.

In 1996 HarperSanFrancisco re-published the anthology as Earth Poems, updated and including new and contemporary poems. Ivo’s own original poems have been featured in journals and national newspapers.^[6] In 1999 he was appointed Poetry Editor at the Journal of Consciousness Studies^[7]

Writing

In 2000, Ivo’s first work of non-fiction, Dumbing Down, a collection of essays and interviews on the concept of dumbing down, was published on Imprint Academic^[8][9]

This was followed in 2003 by Democracy, Fascism and the New World Order, and In The Name of the People in 2013.^[10] Ivo’s most recent book, Bank Robbery, is being published concurrently on two money reform websites.

Ivo Mosley has been a vocal critic of his grandfather’s fascist politics, often commenting publicly on the "evil legacy" of fascism.^[11] He has also written widely as a journalist on topics including democracy, religion, multiculturalism, science, and economics^[12]

Ivo has also written book reviews for national newspapers, including the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, the Catholic Herald, and the Times Higher Education Supplement, mostly reviewing works of non-fiction^[13]

Since the late 1990s, Ivo has written a number of pieces for music theatre including ‘Danny’s Dream’ (1st performance: Rowntree Theatre, York, 1998) ‘Science’ (Bridewell Theatre, London 2002),^[14] and ‘The London Women’s Buskers Orchestra Meet for the End of the World’ (Battersea Arts Centre, 2008). Mad King Suibhne, an opera for which he wrote the libretto, is scheduled for its first performance in 2017.

References